


Crushin On You

by argylemikewheeler



Series: Tumblr Re-posts [45]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Bisexual Steve Harrington, Coming Out, Gen, Happy Ending, Hinted byeler, Stoncy is also in there in the background
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 03:42:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18402398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/argylemikewheeler/pseuds/argylemikewheeler
Summary: Prompt: Mike going through his Gay Awakening™ and having a crush on like Jonathan or Steve or someone (think Dustin and Nancy) and the person is actually super cool about it and maybe byler at the end.





	Crushin On You

In terms of aesthetics, Steve Harrington was easily an eight out of ten. Mike wasn’t exactly sure how he felt about his hair, but he definitely didn’t hate it. Steve wasn’t an ugly guy– he was conventionally attractive, even with his flowing mane. Mike thought for the longest time, he was just  _jealous_ of Steve. He wanted to be that popular and have girls lining up at his locker. And then Steve came downstairs to hang out with Mike while he was waiting for Nancy to finish getting ready for a movie. Jonathan was already upstairs so Steve had company, but he thought he’d stop by and say hello.

He sat down on the couch beside Mike and asked about what he was writing– Steve was horrifically bad at D&D. Despite his vapidness, he listened to Mike. Steve leaned over Mike’s shoulder and read his notes, asking who characters were. The names and titles meant nothing to him, he could tell, but Mike felt a strange flutter when Steve would attempt to synthesize the information and ask Mike another question. It was all foreign, but he was interested. He was humoring Mike. Typically, that was humiliating to an extent, but Steve made Mike feel cool. He felt like a proper teenager.

Steve wasn’t an ugly guy after that afternoon– he was kind of cute. And then it hit Mike: it  _wasn’t_ jealousy. Oh  _fuck_.

Mike tried to be subtle. He tried to act like hanging out with Steve wasn’t the most thrilling part of his entire summer. Sure, Mike was sure there was  _something_ going on with Will– something different than with Steve– but Steve was a constant. He was always there and always bad at D&D.

Sunday morning, after church but before Nancy was fully altered to be seen at the mall with Jonathan and Steve, Mike sat in the basement. He wasn’t waiting, but he knew Steve would arrive a half hour early with Jonathan and wait with Mike and his characters.

“Hey, Killer! What’s happening?”

“Nothing. Just writing some more.” Mike always waited for Steve to ask in case his interest tanked– or his brain cells gave out.

“Well, you got a sec?” He swung around the stair banister and walked slowly over to Mike. He sat on the coffee table across from Mike rather than beside him. He was out of church clothes and in his annoyingly dreamy Members Only jacket.

“W-Why?”

“Nance sent me down here. Said I should give you a little talk.”

Of  _course_. That  _snitch_. Mike makes one comment about Steve’s hair and she’s  _jealous_! She’s got a whole  _other boyfriend_!

“I-It’s not a big deal! I don’t understand!” Mike cried. Steve held his hands up and nodded through the disbelief. “Dustin has a thing for Nancy and that’s fine! What the hell! This is bullshit!”

“Well, uh, Mike,” Steve started, trying to ease him back into his skin. “Nancy is also in high school, and Dustin’s not.”

“So? So are you!” Mike waved his arms out at Steve and flopped back against the couch. He crossed his arms defiantly; it was the last time he told Nancy  _anything_.

“I– How is this about me?” Steve asked, shaking his head. Mike felt his skin begin crawling as Steve’s expression changed from extreme confusion to the most terrifying look of  _understanding_. “What do  _you_ think I’m here for?”

“Nothing.”

“Mike?” Steve laughed. “Come on.”

“I’m not saying.”

“Mike.”

“NO!”

“Alright, look,” Steve rested his elbows on his knees and gripped his hands together. “I’m not going to say anything to Nancy or Jonathan or any of your little friends. I will let your feelings ride out, Killer.”

“Oh my god.” Mike wanted to  _die_.

“I remember my first crush.” Steve said quietly, holding his hand up to cup his mouth in a whisper. “I used to say it was Violet Johns' older sister but it was totally her brother.”

“Wait… Really?” Mike asked, the urge to sink into the back of the couch and disappear became less urgent. Steve laughed and nodded. “Are you serious?”

“Oh yeah. I was born with great taste.”

“Ew. You’re dating my sister!” Mike gagged. “What the hell!”

“I’m just saying. So you do.” He teased, slapping Mike on the leg with a smile. “It’s totally normal and cool, Mike. Just, don’t forget about kids your  _own_ age.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

His own age? Mike had been out to the arcade nearly every other night. He always held Will’s quarters and helped him beat Pac Man by keeping track of the ghosts. He and Lucas were always first on the new machines, Dustin constantly trying to beat Dig Dug and Will watching Mike the entire time– he must’ve learned the game through example. He wasn’t a homebody. He had plenty of friends.

“Nancy sent me down here to talk to you about Will.” Steve said. He leaned back on the coffee table and crossed his legs. “She said she didn’t know what to say, but I obviously have more experience in this department.”

Mike was sure Nancy was trying to mock him, he just didn’t know how. “What?”

“Will? Your friend? Bowl cut since birth? The one we’ve nearly died over, twice?” Steve said. “Yeah, he’s got a crush on you.” Mike snorted. He still gripped his campaign pencil and nearly blinded himself as a hand shot up to cover his nose and mouth.

“You got me.” Mike cackled. “Will’s got a– That’s a good one.”

Steve blinked. “Where did I make a goddamn joke? That kid is  _crushin_ on you, Mike.”

“Is not!”

“Definitely is!” Steve countered, pointing at him. Mike felt accused, but also felt his own guilt before fully comprehending it. He lowered his eyes and quickly tried to find moments that dismantled the spoken absolute truth. “See! You know it too!”

“Shut up!” Mike gasped, slapping his hand away. “Don’t tell me what to do, Steve.”

“Have you forgotten I’ve figured out how Byers work, Mike? I’m here to help you.”

“Jonathan is not Will.” Mike retorted. “Will’s shy but he’s not as closed off as Jonathan.” Will opened up to Mike naturally; they trusted each other and that the other’s secrets would rest easily in their hands.

“You’ve proven my point.” Steve stood from the table with a quick sigh. “Thanks for playing though, Mike.” He started walking away, brushing his jeans off despite having no dirt on them. The stalling was obvious and painfully slow, but Mike used every single second of it before admitting the truth.

The  _something_ between him and Will was a curious point in his life, but he never considered it a  _crush_ – this crush wasn’t futile. He and Will were best friends; he thought it was just how all friends felt. But now, it was something special and Mike wanted to make sure it  _stayed_ special.

“What do I do?” He asked through gritted teeth. Steve grinned and spun back to face him. “ _Hypothetically_?”

“Hypothetically? Next time you hang out with Will, just take his hand. Pretend your guiding him through the arcade and just– boom! Grab it, real quick. He won’t even have time to over think it.” Steve clapped his hands and held them up, as if waiting for his applause.

“Hold his hand?” Mike echoed. “Are you  _kidding_?”

“It’s not gross, Mike. It’s normal.” Steve sighed, his hands slapping against his jeans. “You freaking kids… Here, look.” Steve reached out and grabbed Mike’s hand, squeezing it gently. It was a direct copy of some lost dream Mike had conjured once. Although, Steve’s hands were uncomfortably large against Mike’s hand and his palms were sweaty. It was weird, but they were still holding hands, him and  _Steve Harrington_.

And he didn’t feel a damn thing.

“Just like that.” Steve said, releasing Mike’s hand. “Nothing to it.”

Nothing to it. Just two hands fitting together with far better accuracy, maybe fingers slotting together in a neat lace before splitting when the Party passed– just for a minute. Nothing to it. It’s was just a crush. A real one.

“Steve, come on! We’re going to be late!” Jonathan called down the stairs.

“I know you’re driving but your keys are up here and we  _will_ leave without you!” Nancy added.

“Coming!” Steve called back. “Don’t lose your nerve, Mike. And don’t you dare lose it over me. I’ve got enough. You can do it.” He winked before following Jonathan and Nancy back through the basement door. He took their hands easily.

Mike could do that. He could totally do that. He wasn’t afraid of Will Byers. He probably knew him better than Steve knew Jonathan. Will had been and always would be Mike’s best friend– and best friends could hold hands once, right? Just to see how it felt. It wasn’t going to be anything like TV; not stupid speeches, no long looks, no stupid flowers. Just two hands. Two friends.

“Mike!” His mother shouted. “Will’s here!”

Nothing to it.

**Author's Note:**

> [The Rebloggable Post!](https://argylemikewheeler.tumblr.com/post/173489091064/mike-gong-through-his-gay-awakening-and-having-a)


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